Cross-town bragging rights and the early lead in the Oahu Interscholastic Association Eastern Division girls soccer race will be on the line Saturday when Kalaheo and Kailua meet at the Mustangs' field. Kalaheo and Kailua girls
battle in soccer
By Jason Kaneshiro
jkaneshiro@starbulletin.comThe girls match starts at 2 p.m. The boys match follows at 3:45.
Kalaheo enters the girls match atop the OIA East standings at 3-0 with Kailua and Kahuku just behind at 2-0-1.
Kalaheo leads the division with 26 goals and has yet to allow a score. The Mustangs are led by Tina Garcia and Anela Gonzales, who have seven goals each. Kailua has outscored its opponents 11-1.
Gonzales, a sophomore, played at Kailua last year where she earned OIA East honorable mention recognition.
The Kalaheo boys team is also in first place in the OIA East at 2-0-1, while Kailua is 1-2.
The Campbell (2-0-1) and Mililani (2-0) boys teams are off to fast starts in the OIA West. Aiea, Mililani and Pearl City lead the girls standings at 3-0.
Punahou took the early advantage in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu boys race with a 4-1 win over defending league champion Kamehameha on Monday. All-State forward Satoshi Mitsuda led the Buffanblu (5-0) with two goals. Kamehameha fell to 4-1 and will have another shot at Punahou on Jan. 24.
Monday's scheduled game between Iolani and Pac-Five was moved to Jan. 2 at Kapiolani Park. A match between Iolani and Punahou set for Friday has been moved to Jan. 4 at Iolani's field.
The ILH girls season begins Jan. 3.
Hoop tourneys open: The Punahou Basketball Holiday Classic and the Walter Wong Holiday Basketball Classic open tomorrow at Punahou and at McCabe Gym.
The 16-team Punahou tournament starts at 9 a.m. tomorrow and runs through Sunday. The final is set for 7:30 p.m. Sunday.
Teams entered in the tournament are host Punahou, Kalaheo, Kaimuki, Hilo, University, Pearl City, Damien, Keaau, Kalani, Campbell and Nanakuli. Fairmont Prep and Fullerton of California are also entered, as are Division II teams from Punahou, St. Louis and Iolani.
St. Louis' Division I team hosts the Walter Wong Classic, which runs through Saturday. Word of Life and Farrington are the other local teams entered. They are joined by Hamamasu Nishi of Japan, Skyline and Kings of Washington, Orange Lutheran of California and Tikigaq of Alaska.
Whitford in charge: Joseph Whitford has been appointed the athletic director at Kahuku High School. He has served as interim athletic director since Aug. 5, taking over for Linda Semones.
Whitford, a Kamehameha graduate, has coached the Kahuku swimming team for the last five years. He also coached the girls water polo squad for the last three years.
Classic slam: Miami Christian guard Guillermo Diaz wowed the crowd at the Iolani Prep Classic last Friday with his victory in the tournament's slam-dunk contest.
The 6-foot-1 guard closed the competition by soaring above the head of a teammate standing under the basket for a thunderous jam. Diaz has committed to Miami (Fla.).
After Fairfax (Los Angeles) defeated Franklin (Seattle) in the overtime to repeat as classic champion on Saturday, tournament director Glenn Young said this year's event -- highlighted by Franklin's thrilling double-overtime win over No. 2 Miami Christian in the semifinals -- ranked among the best in the classic's 20 year history.
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